Following his knockout victory over Jack Della Maddalena, Carlos Prates now has ammunition to call out Islam Makhachev by highlighting that he was able to finish Della Maddalena while Makhachev went to a decision. The post suggests this gives Prates legitimate grounds to create media hype and challenge the lightweight champion. The author notes that Makhachev now has multiple potential media-driven opponents building narratives around him. Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov are also mentioned as fighters in this category, though the post indicates they would not be first in line for such promotional storylines.
Carlos Prates has positioned himself as a legitimate contender for Islam Makhachev's lightweight title by pointing to a distinction his knockout win over Jack Della Maddalena creates: he finished a fighter that Makhachev could only defeat by decision.
The callout narrative centers on the idea that Prates accomplished something the reigning champion did not against the same opponent, giving him a compelling promotional hook to push for a title shot. Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and is the current welterweight champion with a pound-for-pound ranking of first in the AgentMMA database. The Russian southpaw averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the most complete fighters in the sport.
Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, entered the bout with an 18-4 record and is known for high-volume output, averaging 5.57 significant strikes landed per minute. His switch-hitting style and five-foot-eleven frame with a 73-inch reach made him a stern test, which adds weight to Prates's argument about the finishing performance.
Why it matters
- Prates now holds a narrative edge over Makhachev with a finish result neither the champion nor many others have achieved against Della Maddalena
- Makhachev faces a growing pool of media-driven challengers building storylines around him, complicating the promotional picture at the top of the division
- Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated Kazakh ranked third at welterweight with a 19-0 record, and Ian Garry are also circling with similar promotional angles, though neither appears first in line for that kind of spotlight
- The Prates callout adds genuine credibility given the shared opponent context, rather than relying solely on ranking position
